Fife Coastal Path: North Queensferry to Dalgety Bay

85 Comments
Start of the walk – Forth Bridge

Remember the fabulous weather we had at Easter? On Good Friday, we decided to take advantage of it to walk part of the Fife Coastal Path. We’ve done the sections between the East Neuk fishing villages on several occasions, so chose something different this time: North Queensferry to Dalgety Bay and back, approximately 5 miles each way.

Last year, we both ascended to the viewing platform at the top of the Forth Bridge and also sailed under it on the Maid of the Forth. This year, we left the car at its base and merely walked under it to the start of the path where there are two ancient wells.

Waterloo Well
Waterloo Well
Lion’s Head Well
Lion’s Head Well

The path leads up between them, decorated by a series of collages made by local school children and set into the stone wall.

Fife Coastal Path
Fife Coastal Path

We then climbed up and under the bridge again to reach Carlingnose Point Wildlife Reserve, named because of its resemblance to an old woman’s nose. (Carlin means old woman: Scottish but of Old Norse origin.)

Fife Coastal Path
Fife Coastal Path
Fife Coastal Path
Fife Coastal Path
Fife Coastal Path

Here, there was a poignant memorial bench – Wee John was only 23 when he died. I thought at first the shells were attached to the arms but they were loose – possibly left by mourners, or maybe just by kids playing.

Wee John’s bench
Wee John’s bench

Although sunny and warm it was quite hazy, so the views weren’t very clear. In one direction, we looked back to the Forth Bridge. In the other, we could see the beginning of Dalgety Bay. The old World War I jetty offshore is now a breeding site for tern.

Forth Bridge view
View to Dalgety Bay

As we passed through a disused quarry, we spotted a modern house perched above it. That is certainly a room with a view! It seems a Hibs fan had been here before us and left graffiti – I do hope it wasn’t anyone I know 😉 .

Room with a view
Hibs graffiti

By the next bay there was another poignant memorial, this time to a young man who died in the First World War. From here, there was a less interesting part of the walk as we negotiated a working quarry and a scrapyard (just visible in the view below), followed by a boring stretch of road into Inverkeithing. However, Inverkeithing’s historic centre more than made up for the tedium and we took time out to explore.

WW1 Memorial
Scrapyard in view

First we came to the remains of a late medieval Franciscan Friary. The Hospitium (guest house) of the Grey Friars is the best surviving example of a friary building left in Scotland and the garden contains earlier 14th century ruins.

Inverkeithing Friary
Inverkeithing Friary
Inverkeithing Friary
Inverkeithing Friary

We saw the birthplace of a Russian Admiral:

Birthplace of Admiral Greig
Birthplace of Admiral Greig

The Mercat (Market) Cross has another of those Scottish Unicorns:

Inverkeithing Mercat Cross
Inverkeithing Mercat Cross

The cross is said to date from c. 1400, but the unicorn wasn’t carved until 1688 by, according to the plaque, “Mr John Boyd of South Queensferry to secure his admittance to the Inverkeithing Trades Guildry”. Literally a “master” piece?

The town has many other fine buildings:

Inverkeithing Parish Church
Thomsoun’s House 1617
Toll Booth and Town House
Burgh Arms
Fordell Lodging 1671

Then we were out the other side of it, past some pretty cottages.

Inverkeithing cottages
Cottage gate

And back onto the coastal path towards St David’s Harbour. Someone is a Last of the Summer Wine fan here.

St David’s Harbour
Last of the Summer Wine bench
Last of the Summer Wine bench

St David’s Harbour, an area still being built, is the beginning of Dalgety Bay. To me, it looks attractive in a soulless, rather clinical sort of way.

St David’s Harbour
St David’s Harbour
St David’s Harbour

Dalgety Bay is a new town, built in the 1960s on the estate of the Earls of Moray. As we discovered later when we left the coastal path in search of somewhere to eat, the further you got from the sea the less grand are the houses, but they are still a huge contrast to the fishing villages further round the coast. Everywhere is pristine – it looks as though the garden police will come round if there is a blade of grass out of place. Although I admit to envying one or two of the balconies, which must have amazing views, on the whole I didn’t warm to this chunk of Suburbia-by-the-Sea.

Dalgety Bay
Dalgety Bay
Dalgety Bay
Dalgety Bay
Dalgety Bay

Parts of the old estate, Donibristle, remain. In the late 20th century the wings of Donibristle House and the nearby stable block were restored as housing, and a new apartment building was erected in place of the main block of the house.

Donibristle House
Donibristle Stables

A short way off the path is the mortuary chapel (1731) in which nine earls of Moray are buried. This is definitely more my sort of thing!

Donibristle Chapel
Donibristle Chapel

The estate’s woodlands have been taken over by the community – and a very nice job they have made of them too with lots of colourful information boards.

Bathing House Wood
Dalgety Bay Community Woodlands
Dalgety Bay Community Woodlands
Dalgety Bay Community Woodlands
Hopeward Wood
Dalgety Bay Community Woodlands

We decided to carry on as far as the ruined St Bridget’s Kirk before turning round. Originally dating from 1178, it was altered for Protestant worship in the 17th century. As usual, we enjoyed an extended tour of the graveyard and its interesting old stones.

St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk
St Bridget’s Kirk

From here, we went up into Dalgety Bay for a (very late) lunch, then returned to the coastal path to retrace our steps. I didn’t notice these elephant gates in Inverkeithing on the way out.

Elephant gates, Inverkeithing
Elephant gates, Inverkeithing

Eventually, we arrived back in North Queensferry, passing back under the Forth Bridge to return to our car.

North Queensferry
North Queensferry
North Queensferry

By the time I got to bed that night, my Fitbit was registering over 15 miles, and my feet certainly felt as if they needed a good long rest, but it was worth it for a glorious day out.

Scotland, UK , , , ,

85 Comments »

  1. Pingback: Lion’s Head Well | Memorial Drinking Fountains

  4. 15 miles is a good long hike! … and with so many interesting things to see along the way!

    I think I may have learned something here … the origin of the word masterpiece. If I understand correctly, it refers to a creation of someone who belongs to a master guild?

    Like

  5. Interesting place, we need to discover a bit more of this part of Scotland. We were stuck on that bridge during the Easter weekend because of the traffic lol.

    Like

  7. The Fife Coastal Path is very picturesque. I was impressed with the collages made by the school children. Loved the two old wells, the winding brick path, and that beautiful gate on the far side of Inverkeithing.

    Jude

    Like

  8. Hi Anabel, I am really enjoying my history lessons since I have started following certain bloggers, including you:) A significantly different perspective when walking versus sailing. I enjoy all the photos. I like how some of your photos are circular, a nice effect. I briefly looked up 15 miles on a fitbit – Average sized person is approximately 30,000 steps. Good for you! Enjoyable post:) Erica

    Like

  9. Anabel – Hope your feet have recovered! It always amazes me at the history along your walks. The stone paths, the older buildings along the roadways, and all the mementos. Glorious! – Susan

    Like

  12. What a gorgeous day, so it was perfect for a 15 mile walk. That’s a lot of walking! But you saw so much interesting stuff along the way. I don’t care for those pristine kinds of places either, but I do love finding old treasures. Those collages set into walls and the memorial bench were quite nice and interesting. 🙂

    Like

  14. Looks good. Not walked that section since the Dalgety Bay intrusion as it used to be a lot wilder with less houses.Section I really enjoyed recently was Kirkcaldy to East Wemyss, getting the local bus back. A fantastic walk and much better than I was expecting. I think you would enjoy that and not too far to drive.

    Like

    • Yes, Kev recommended the section from Kirkcaldy to Dysart and we’ve already done Dysart to East Wemyss (and back). With a bit more forward planning we should do as you suggest and tackle the whole stretch (forward planning = actually checking bus times, though as the time we did it was between Christmas and New Year I wouldn’t have liked to rely on them!)

      Like

  15. Hi Anabel – well you chose a good time to take yourselves off for that walk … lovely weather. Walking under the bridge and see the Firth … love the snippets of history along the way – until you get the Moscow – Russian Admiral connection … history fascinates. That’s a good 15 mile walk … no wonder you needed a couple of days to get foot-repaired again! Actually it’s body too isn’t it … but so well worth it. Loved seeing your photos and story line … the churchyard et al … gorgeous – thank you – Hilary

    Like

  16. What a lovely walk on a beautiful day and Inverkeithing looks like a lovely place. 15 miles is a lot though, not sure my feet would manage that distance nowadays.

    Like

  18. Ooooh, I didn’t know there was a viewing platform on the Forth Bridge. I’ll remember that most definitely when we’re back there. And hopefully we’ll have the time to walk part of this path and see some of these little out-of-the-way bits of history that you miss when you’re doing the highlights. Thanks for posting.

    Like

  19. It looks like a glorious day for a walk. I’ve never seen a bridge quite like that – an interesting bit of architecture in itself. I would have found endless fascination in the kirkyard, for sure!

    Like

  20. What a lovely day trip, Anabel – 15 miles, that’s incredible. It’s easy to turn a 10-mile walk into 50% more when one is a wanderer. I hope it didn’t take too much of a detour to find a place for lunch. 🙂 My favorite parts are the beginning of the walkway from the bridge and the historic center of Inverkeithing.

    Like

  22. My fitbit registers 12 – 13,000 steps a day and I thought five miles a day was good for me and the dog but 15 miles leaves me way behind :o) Enjoyed the walk and the photographs. The Old Parish Church looked interesting – must look it up and see what I can find. A good rest before the next adventure is in order.

    Like

  24. It’s certainly an interesting part of the world, Anabel. If I remember I’ll tuck it into the next Jo’s walk, but it won’t be for a few weeks yet. 🙂 🙂

    Like

  25. What a wonderful day out and a great walk. You really can’t beat Scotland in the sunshine can you? Wish it would brighten up this week a bit.

    Like

  26. A lot of interest on that walk.
    Those older buildings couldn’t be anywhere but Scotland. Very Baronial!
    I never get fed up at looking at that beautiful, totally over-engineered railway bridge! I had a good view of it once on a flight in a prop plane in a flight from Amsterdam to Manchester. We were flying relatively low and for once the view wasn’t obscured by cloud.

    Like

  28. A very photogenic walk. I love the bridge! And we’ll done on walking so far. My legs are aching just thinking about it. Lots to see though. X

    Like

  29. Having grown up in Fife, these places are all familiar to me (though Dalgety Bay started changing rapidly in the 90s when it became commuter belt territory) but I have not visited them in decades. It is, therefore, really interesting to see all the little details in your post and in the photographs. Lots of interesting metalwork. You’ve also inspired me as maybe I will take the kids for an explore along that stretch of the Fife coast when we are next back in Scotland.

    Like

  30. Excellent. I applaud the sentiment of the Hibs graffiti but it wisnae me! I’ve only been to the NQ bit of this walk, which is lovely, though have covered other stretches of the Fife Coastal Path to the east. Might need a trip over there again after reading this!

    Like

  31. Lovely photos. As you have shown most of the coastal villages in Fife are extremely pretty. Other than a short part of the “Berwickshire coast path” the “Fife Coast Path” was the first part of the coast I did in Scotland as I wanted and easy introduction on a part of the coast with a proper path. I really enjoyed it and found the small towns and villages especially to be very pretty.

    Like

  32. Great post and pics. I’ve looked at the route before but have avoided it as we usually have the dog with us when we go for a walk and prefer to be able to let him off the lead. Also, 15 miles would be too much for me so I’m glad you and John walked it for us! 🙂

    Like